Like leaves we fall to the ground
by ElloDoctor
Summary: "Sebastian looked so out of place here because while his age was forever catching up with him, the light in Sebastian's eyes never seemed to fade. Not like Kurt's was fading." By the time Kurt and Sebastian fall in love they're nearing the end of their lives. Warning: Character death


**Spring**

They met for a second time in Spring, when the leaves turned green and the flowers began again. The air smelt of a new beginning and so much time had passed that there was nothing that hadn't changed and old grudges and grievances could barely be recalled. They met with surprised smiles, recognising the other immediately despite that almost sixty years had passed since they had met in a coffee shop and clashed almost immediately. Standing there in the middle of an art opening in the Upper East Side, Kurt's eyes were immediately been drawn to the solitary figure standing by a painting, the same arrogant smirk lighting up his face just as it had decades ago. And while Sebastian's face was no longer blessed with youth Kurt couldn't help but find the man terribly beautiful . He was such a stark contrast to the boy Kurt remembered with his face laden with wrinkles and his hair a light silver and it was almost impossible not to treat him as a stranger when Kurt extended his own wrinkled hand. But looking up at Sebastian in his tailored suit that screamed expensive, Kurt was unable to stop from feeling a pang of uneasiness at the memory of the sharp barbs that had been directed at him all those years ago.

But he needn't have worried, Sebastian's face held no contempt, only surprise and a look of muted nostalgia.

"Kurt Hummel, who would have thought it?" His voice even during that first meeting felt to Kurt like coming home.

**Summer**

Their first summer was spent outside, the blistering heat beating down on them while they sipped iced tea on the numerous street cafes throughout the cities. They stayed outside for hours at a time, Kurt reapplying his sunscreen every hour while he laughed at Sebastian whose skin had long since become calloused and leathery while Kurt's had remained soft. The animosity that had seemed impossible to remove from when they were teenagers was replaced with gentle teasing and an easy companionship that meant the hours passed quickly. The combination of the humid air and the way Sebastian's eyes would crinkle when Kurt held his hand made Kurt feel younger than he had in years. His hair had gone grey years ago, he had stopped paying attention to fashion trends and the latest pop hits and on some days before Sebastian had come into his life he had felt such a crushing dread that he was longer needed. But being with Sebastian he didn't _need _to be needed, all he needed was Sebastian, to be able to laugh and to talk without caring that he looked old and that his body was gradually withering away into nothing.

"You're beautiful." When Sebastian said those words the first time Kurt meant to flip them back on Sebastian and his green eyes but he couldn't seem to control his mouth.

"I love you." And he couldn't regret the words when Sebastian's face broke into a wide grin that took years off him.

**Autumn**

Autumn brought so many firsts. Unpleasant surprises that should have been expected and would have been if it weren't for the long walks they took through central park holding hands or the trips to cinema to watch old movies. They fell easily, too easily into the role of an old married couple, they didn't bother correcting the assumption, sharing secret smiles whenever the word "husband" was mentioned. They thought the good would last forever, a naïve assumption they should have been too old to make.

"You can't just waltz in here and tell me what do!" Sebastian's voice rose with each passing word and Kurt felt his anger flare as Sebastian. 'If I want to spend my money on extra healthcare, I'll do it myself."

"It's for your own good Sebastian," Kurt said coolly. "What happens if you get sick? What then? Besides all I did was put in an application for you!"

"I can make my own decisions, for god's sake Kurt. Just stop meddling with my life," Sebastian walked over to the door of Kurt's apartment. "I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity-"

But Sebastian was already out the door and Kurt was left alone in his apartment, left alone to get his morning coffee and left alone to walk to the restaurant where his daughter was waiting and left alone to fall to the ground, clutching his chest.

oOo

"I'm so sorry Kurt…" Sebastian murmured and clutched Kurt' hand tightly while tears streamed down his face. Sebastian looked so out of place in the hospital because while his age was forever catching up with him, the light in Sebastian's eyes never seemed to fade. Not like Kurt's was fading.

**Winter**

The first half of winter passed in a blur of medical treatments, snow falling past Kurt's bedroom window and afternoons spent by the fire drinking tea and holding Sebastian's wrinkled hand in his own. But when Christmas came along and they drove down to Sebastian's sister's house in New Jersey, time seemed to freeze. Everyone was there; Kurt's daughter Lucy and her husband Jake, Sebastian's nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters and even Finn was there with Rachel, smiling happily and telling anyone who would listen about their new grandchild. Kurt should have felt old, sitting in armchair and surrounded by young adults and children who were all yet to experience life but instead he focused on the loose pressure of Sebastian's hand in his, the way Sebastian laughed with his whole body at four year old Ciara's jokes and the way Sebastian whispered in his ear at midnight _"you know if this was New Years, I'd kiss you senseles_s" and then proceeded to kiss him anyway.

**Spring**

It felt as if they had been together for much longer than a year. The flowers that bloomed in Central Park did so every year but Kurt could only remember watching them bloom with Sebastian.

"Move in with me," Sebastian whispered. They were lying on Kurt's double bed, Kurt on his back and Sebastian on his side so that his lips were at Kurt's ear.

"What?" Kurt asked and Sebastian laughed.

"Move in with me, I mean it." Kurt felt Sebastian smile. "I'm practically here all the time, we might as well save on cab money."

"You mean you'll save money," Kurt said smirking and Sebastian chuckled.

"True," he admitted. "But I do mean it, what do you say?"

Kurt exhaled and groaning a little, twisted his body to mirror Sebastian's, ignoring the pain that shot through him.

"I can't," he said and a flash of hurt passed across Sebastian's face. "I'm sorry, Bas. I don't want to ruin what we have and moving in with you, that feels like closure. I love you too much for that."

Sebastian was quiet for a long moment.

"Okay," he said finally, his voice rough. "But-Just don't leave me okay Kurt? I'm not strong enough for that."

"Never, I could never leave you," Kurt said softly, feeling his heart contract at Sebastian's words but he tried to smile. "I can barely walk a couple of metres, let alone leave this room."

Sebastian snorted.

"We're so old," he said.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "But that's okay."

**Summer**

They spent the summer at the Smythe family beach house in California, just the two of them. They didn't go outside often; Kurt couldn't stay in the heat for longer than 20 minutes otherwise he would pass out so they limited their activity to walks along the boardwalk. Sebastian pushed Kurt along in his wheelchair even though Kurt kept telling him he would hurt his they felt particularly old they made fun of the teenagers playing volleyball and the flimsy swimsuits they wore and it felt just the high school, the two of them trading quips although that time not at each other. They watched the sunset from the balcony every night and on their last night when they finished eating and they both sat on recliners, watching the sky turn from blue to purple to a rosy pink, Kurt knew it was time.

"Can I move in?" He asked and Sebastian tilted his head to look at Kurt.

"Of course you can," Sebastian murmured and he smiled. "What brought on the change of heart?"

"I didn't realise how much I would love waking up to you in the morning," Kurt confessed and Sebastian laughed.

"I knew you only agreed because of my bedroom skills," he grinned lazily and Kurt couldn't stop smiling.

"Guilty as charged," he winked but quickly turned serious. "I love you."

Sebastian laid his hand on top of Kurt's. "Forever and always."

But sometimes forever and always isn't enough, isn't enough to last until morning.

Sebastian woke up to the sound of his own breathing and nobody else's.


End file.
